Last Flight to L.A.

chapter eighteen: the ugly truth

"The plot thickens, as they say. Why, by the way? Is it a soup metaphor?"

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Chef Vance had made a point to be a particular jerk to Kelsey whenever he could ever since he'd confronted her about catering Becca Lynn's party.

It was mostly little things, like purposely using more utensils than necessary or spilling a can of maraschino cherries just to make Kelsey clean it up.

At around one o'clock on Friday, Kelsey had just come back in from serving lunch and she was shedding her black apron to replace it with her usual white one when Chef Vance came up to her with that sickeningly compassionate expression and said, "Hey, Kel?"

She hated her nickname when he said it. "What?"

"There was an accident in the utility closet—I think it might've been Chef Hendrick. You know how he is. Oil's everywhere."

"Oil?" Kelsey asked. "That'll take forever to clean up!"

He cringed and shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry."

"You know what? No." Kelsey refuted. "I'm not a janitor."

"Hey, don't kill the messenger!" He said innocently, lifting his hands.

"I am sick and tired of you bullying me!"

"Miss Harris," a voice said.

Kelsey realized that Chef Romano was there, her arms crossed. At first she assumed she was in trouble, but Kelsey realized she was glaring daggers into Chef Vance behind his back.

After a moment, she turned to Kelsey. "I need another case of eggs from the store. Go get some."

Kelsey nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She gave Chef Vance a hard stare before taking off her apron and heading out.

The store was just outside the movie set and it was actually faster to walk there, considering the traffic went at a snail's pace when she used the car.

As much as she was beginning to hate Chef Vance, Chef Romano was a surprisingly interesting case.

If given a choice between firing Kelsey and simply shouting at her, Kelsey almost thought she'd choose the latter. Which was an improvement. Or perhaps they had formed a subconscious bond over their dislike for Chef Vance.

She made her way out of the movie set and walked down the block to the grocery store. It was bigger than most, but only because it sold bulk items. What it lacked in variety, it made up for in quantity.

Kelsey loaded up on three cases of eggs, figuring that would be enough to carry them through until the delivery truck came next Wednesday.

She pulled her cart into the checkout line. It was busy but seemed to be moving fast.

She glanced at the shelves of gum, candy, and chips.

Then she saw it.

Her muscles froze solid, gluing her feet to the ground.

At first, she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it.

But there, on a tabloid magazine, in big, ugly, yellow letters were the words; ETHAN GLENN FINDS NEW LOVE: How a one-night stand turned the movie star's life around after devastating breakup.